EU-funded research projects like TechOceanS generate huge amounts of valuable scientific data. TechOceanS works to improve data sharing and accessibility through use of open-source data platforms such as Zenodo and Ocean Best Practices (OBPS). These serve as long-lasting archives that allow users to access and analyse our data even after our project is concluded, facilitating knowledge discovery, improving research transparency, and helping future scientists build on work done in TechOceanS.

What are the FAIR data principles?

FAIR data stands for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable data.

FAIR data principles can help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marine monitoring by making marine data more accessible, usable, and transparent. These principles are evident across the TechOceanS project.

Findable:

The TechOceanS community page within Zenodo serves as a central directory for all Open Access project-related publications and datasets. This means that anyone wishing to locate TechOceanS data can consult the TechOceanS Zenodo repository and be directed to the appropriate location. TechOceanS also uses persistent identifiers such as a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), this is a unique code which helps academics track and cite sources accurately. We also make use of metadata (additional labels which give more information about the data, for example by using keywords) which can help researchers easily find the data they are looking for.

Accessible:

To encourage re-use and further application of project results, all TechOceanS data underlying peer reviewed scientific publications will be made available via open access platforms (unless there is a pressing need to keep the data confidential). This means that anyone can view, download, use and verify the data without needing to pay for it. Making marine data more accessible encourages data sharing and increases collaboration by removing many barriers, restrictions, and paywalls which previously existed.

Interoperable:

Interoperable data allows exchange and re-use between researchers, institutions, organisations, and countries. TechOceanS partners only use repositories which observe Ocean Best Practices and OpenAIRE guidelines for interoperability. Interoperable data facilitates international cross-disciplinary collaboration. This is essential in the context of marine monitoring as it creates a digital ecosystem where different systems and platforms can work together to achieve common goals.

Reusable:

In addition to the open-access measures outlined above such as our OBPS and Zenodo communities, TechOceanS also utilises a diverse suite of dissemination actions to present project outputs to the scientific community, industry, policymakers and society at large. By bringing together scientists and stakeholders from different sectors and regions, TechOceanS is promoting a collaborative approach to marine monitoring and data-driven decision-making.

By adhering to the FAIR data principles and embodying a collaborative ethos TechOceans can share the data behind our innovative technologies more widely, helping to overcome some of the data limitations associated with marine monitoring, and ultimately improving our understanding of the ocean.